duboc



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. DUBOO. SELF ACTING APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING RAILWAY ACCIDENTS. No.343,988. Patented June 22, 1886.

a R Q U i e FQ g S H N i \J mg 'f M a ig W A d IQ/W663? q (No Model.) 3Sheets-Sheet 2* Y J. DUBOO.

SELF ACTING APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING RAILWAY AGUIDENTS.

No. 343,988. Patented June 22, 1886.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3..

J. DUBOG.

SELF ACTING APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING RAILWAY ACCIDENTS. No. 343,988.Patented June 22, 1886.

UNITED STATES PATEN tries.

JULES DUBOC, OF LISIEUX, OALVADOS, FRANCE.

.QPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 343,988, dated June22, 1886.

Application filed April 9, 1885. Serial No. 161,751.

(No model.) Patented in France September 8, 1884, No. 164,120, and inEngland February 17, 1885, No. 2,201.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, Jonas DUBOG, a citizen of the French Republic,residing at LisieuX, in the Department of Oalvados, France, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for PreventingAccidents on Railways, (for which I have obtained Letters Patent inFrance, No. 164,120, dated Septemher 8, 1884, and in England, No. 2,201,dated February 17, 1885,) of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description.

This invention relates to that class of safety devices for railroadsdesigned to operate a signal and give warning to the engineer of dangerahead, the road being laid out in sections or blocks at greater or lessdistances from one another, according to the nature of the ground inwhich these devices are arranged.

The object of this invention is to provide a single and effectivemechanism whereby the engineer on his locomotive may be warned in ampletime of danger ahead to enable him to stop his train, and thereby avoida collision with another train ahead of him that has from any cause beendelayed or disabled.

The further object of this invention is to so construct and arrange thesafety devices as to be automatically set by a passing locomotive toindicate to the engineer of a train in rear that the road is clear, orto give him warning that a train is in dangerous proximity in front ofhim.

To these ends the invention consists in mechanism and combinations ofmechanisms located on the track and operated from the 10- comotive,andoperating, when set at danger, to give warning, by an audible or visiblesig nal, to the engineer that a train is close in front of him,substantially as hereinafter fully described, and as specificallypointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figures 1 and 2 are schematic views, the former showing the left side ofa locomotive and the corresponding mechanism of the safety devices setat safety, and in the latter view the right side of the locomotive andthe corresponding mechanism of the safety devices set at danger. Fig. 3is a like view showing the connections of several sets of safetydevices. Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation showing the left-handmechanism of the safety devices in position to be operated by thelocomotive to set the devices previously passedat danger. Fig. 5 is asimilar view showing the devices after being actuated. Fig. 6 shows by alike sectional elevation the right-hand devices set at safety. Fig. 7shows by a like view the same devices set at danger and about to operatea signaling device on the locomotive; and Figs. 8 and 9 are perspectiveviews of two sets of safety devices set at safety and danger,respectively.

In these drawings like letters indicate like parts wherever such mayoccur.

The safety appliances are arranged along the road at suitable distancesfrom each other, the distance between them depending in a measure on theappliances under the control of the engineer or trainhand, or both, tostop the train within a given distance when running at its greatestspeed.

On the left side, and near the engineers cab or rear end of thelocomotive, is pivoted a dog or pawl, A, on a suitable bracket, a, insuch a manner that said dog or pawl is free to swing forward on itspivot, but prevented from swinging backward from a vertical line by ashoulder or stop, a, projecting from said bracket a, as shown in Figs.1, 5, and in dotted lines in Fig. 4. On the right side of thelocomotive, and on a line some distance in front of the line where thedog A is pivoted, is fulcrumed a lever, O, the long arm 0 of which iscurved.

To the short arm 0 of lever G is pivoted a connecting-rod, O, that isconnected through a bell-crank lever, D, and a connecting-rod, d, withthe stem of the valve that admits steam to the whistle, as shown in Fig.2, the lever 0 operating said valve and surrounding the whistle whensaid lever is rotated on its fulcrum by a dog or pawl of the safetydevices when set at danger.

It is obvious that instead of connecting the lever G to thewhistle-valve it may be connected with the bell-cord or with a rodconnected with the bell, or said lever may through its connections bemade to operate a visible signal, such arrangements being readily under-ICO pose to be the first from a stationthe train being supposed to runfrom left to right-is stood by skillful mechanics and within theprovince of such, and need, therefore, not be, shown or described indetail.

Before describing the safety mechanism, will mention here that the dogor pawl A operates to set the said mechanism to danger, and that thelever O is operated by the said mechanism when set at danger to Warn theengineer.

Inasmuch as all the safety devices are alike screw, 1*.

in construction and operation, it will be necessary to describe one setonly, in order that the construction and operation thereof may beunderstood.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 8 or 9, P and P indicate two bed orsupporting plates provided with bearings for a crossshaft, S, freetorotate in said bearings. These platesare secured to the ties T, outsidethe rails R, and on each end of-the shaft S are secured on differentradial lines arms B and D, respectively. The relative arrangement of thearms B D is such that when arm B is in a vertical position arm D will bein an approximately horizontal position, and vice versa, as shown inFigs. 8 and 9. From the bed-plate 1? projects astop, 12, that limits themovement of the arm or cam D toward the right.

The arm B atits pivotal point has the form ofa sector, as shown at b, inwhich is formed a notch or recess, 1), with which engages a locking-dog,E. The locking-dog E slides in bearings 19 p on the supporting-plate P.a spring, 8, exerting its power to keep the dog in engagement with saidnotch b, and S is a spring secured to one of the ties T at one end andat the other to the shaft'S, said spring exerting its power to returnthe arms B D into their normal position, Fig. 8, after being depressedinto the position shown in Fig. 9, when released by the locking-dog E.To the plate I is also secured a pivot pin or stud, on which is pivoteda third arm, F, in advance of the'arm B, and on the same side of thetrack, and said arm is connected, as hereinafter described, to thelocking bolt or dog of one of a set of safety devices in the rear. Thepivoted pawl or dog A on one side of thelocomotive projects into thepath of the arms B F, and the lever O, fulcrumed in advance of the dog Aon the opposite side of the locomotive, projects intothe path of the armD.

The operation of these devices and their connections with each other maybe briefly described to be as follows: Referring to Fig. 3, it will beseen that the lookingdog E of the safety devices marked 1, which we willsupconnected'to the arm F of the second succeeding safety devicesthat isto say, to the devices marked 3, the devices marked 2 being connected tothose marked 4, and so on, so that there are always two safety devicesset at danger intervening between one set at safety and the one about tobe met by the train, the latter being supposed to be running mm m insection 3 in said Fig. 3. The connection of the locking-dogs E withtheir respective operating-arms F is effected by means of a wire, "W, orother suitable connection, secured at one end to a hook or eye, 6, onthe shank of the locking-dog E, and at the other to a hook or eye, r, ofa screw-rod, r, that passes through a perforation in an ear, f, formedon the arm F, and secured thereto by means of a thumb- By means of thedescribed arrangement of the connections between the lockingdogs andarms any slacktherein may be readily taken up by manipulating the thumbscrew 1. As the locomotive enters the section 1, the safety devices ofwhich are in their normal position, (see, also, Fig. 4,) the pivoted.dog A on the left of the locomotive will first depressthe arm F,which inthe first section from a station may be dispensed with, and then the armB, thereby rotating the shaft S against the stress of its spring S, andsimultaneously therewith elevating the arm D into the danger position.As the arm B reaches the limit of its downward movement, the lockingbolt or dog E, which is held in contact with the face of thesector-shaped portion b of said arm, under the stress of its spring,will move into the notch b of said arm and lock the parts into positionofdanger. (See, also, Figs. 5, 7, and 9.) The same will take place whenthe locomotive passes the safety device of section 2. setting the arm Dthereof at danger also. When, however, the locomotive reaches the safetydevices of section 3, and the arm F is depressed, the locking-dog E willbe drawn out of the notch b and release the arm B of the safetydevicesof section 1, and, under the stress of the spring S, the shaft Swill be rotated backward to bring the parts into their normal position,as shown in section 1 and in Figs. 8 and 9, showing the parts set atdanger. When the locomotive reaches the next safety devices, or those ofsection 4, the safety devices of section 2 will be released and returnedinto their normal position, 850. Should a train be delayed in any one ofthe sections from any cause, the engineer of the train following wouldbe warned in ample timeto stop his train,as the lever O on the rightofthe locomotive will then encounter the arm D, set at danger, and thewhistle or other danger signal given as above described.

In Fig. 1 I have shown the arms B F on one side of a track,one set ofthem being depressed and a locomotive detained in the section, and inFig. 2 I have shown on the other side of the track one of the arms D atsafetyand the other at danger and a locomotive about to reach the arm D,set to danger.

Having described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s

1. In a safety mechanism for railways, the combination, with the track,a pivoted shaft extending across the same, and having arms B D, arrangedat an angle to each other, the arm A,pivoted upon one side of thelocomotive,the

IlO

extent of movement of said arm in one direction being limited byasuitable stop or shoulder, said arm operating to reverse or tilt theshaft, a locking device operating to engage the arm B, when the shaft istilted, and lock the same and its arms in the reversed position, andlevers arranged upon the opposite side of the locomotive, connectingwith a signaling device, one of the levers being adapted to strike thearm D while in its reversed position, of the pivoted arm F, located at adis tance, connected with the locking device, and adapted to be struckby arm A on the locomotive, to withdraw the locking device fromengagement with arm B, and a spring for re turning the tilted shaft andits arms into their normal positions, as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a safety mechanism for railways, the combination, with the track,a pivoted shaft extending across the same, and having armsB D, arrangedat an angle to each other, the arm A, pivoted upon one side of thelocomotive, the extent of movement of said arm in one direction beinglimited by a suitable stop, said arm operating to reverse or tilt theshaft, a springactuated dog operating to engage in a notch formed in thearm B,when the shaft is tilted, and lock the shaft and arms in thereversed position, and levers arranged upon the opposite side of thelocomotive, connecting with a signaling device, one of the levers beingadapted to strike the arm D while in its reversed position, of thepivoted arm F, located at a distance,connected with the locking device,and adapted to be struck by arm A, to withdraw the dog from engagementwith arm B, and a spring for returning the shaft and its arms into theirnormal positions, said parts being arranged for operation as described,for the purpose specified.

3. In a safety mechanism for railways, the combination, with the track,a pivoted shaft extending across the same, and having arms B D, arrangedat an angle to each other, the arm A, pivoted upon one side of thelocomotive, the extent of'movement of said arm in one direction beinglimited by a suitable stop, said arm operating to reverse or tilt theshaft,

a stop for limiting the extent of rotation of the shaft, a lockingdevice operating to engage the arm B, when the shaft is tilted, and lockthe latter and its arms in the reversed position, and levers arrangedupon the opposite side of the locomotive, connecting with a signalingdevice, one of the levers being adapted to strike the arm D while in itsreversed position, of the pivoted arm F, located at a distance,connected with the locking device, and adapted to be struck by arm A onthe locomotive, to Withdraw the locking device from engagement with armB, and aspring for returning the tilted shaft and its arms into theirnormal positions, said parts being arranged for operation as described,for the purpose specified.

4. In a safety mechanism for railways, the combiuation,with the track,apivoted shaft extending across the same, and having arms BD, arrangedat an angle to each other, the arm A, pivoted upon one side of thelocomotive, the extent of movement of said arm in one direction beinglimited by a suitable stop, said arm operating to tilt the shaft, alocking device operating to engage the arm B, when the shaft is reversedor tilted, and lock the same and its arms in the reversed position, andlevers arranged upon the opposite side of the locomotive, connectingwith a signaling device, one of the levers being adapted to strike thearm D while in its reversed position, of the pivoted arm F, located at adistance, a connection between said arm and thelocking device, andmeans, as described, for taking up slack in said connection, said arm Fbeing adapted to be struck by arm A on the locomotive, to withdraw thelocking device from engagement with arm A, and a spring for returningthe shaft and its arms into their normal positions, said parts beingarranged for operation as described, for the 0 purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this6th day of February, 1885.

J ULES DUBOO. WVitnesses:

A. CERT,

A. RAPENT.

